How Is Your Organization Helping You Reach Your Goals?

“Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk.” – J.C. Penny

Every individual has personal goals. The organizations we work with, or for, have organizational goals.

One of the most effective ways to progress toward our personal goals is by helping achieve our company’s organizational goals.

Usually, we work with a team or company because we believe in what they are trying to achieve. If we didn’t believe in them, we probably wouldn’t work there – or shouldn’t.

It is true that occasionally there can be conflict between an employee and employer if the worker is just there for the money. But at every level, individuals are looking out for their personal goals. Even the CEOs believe that by working with the company, they are taking strides towards their own personal goals.

In turn, an organization’s progress relies on their team members’ personal goals, and the team members’ belief that the organizational progress will help them reach those goals.

People without personal goals, or “no show” employees, don’t always make the best team members. Without personal goals, these people have no strong reasons to be connected to the work they are doing. If a company’s goals don’t line up with its team members’ personal goals (and vice versa), neither is likely to be reached. True goal alignment strengthens employee engagement.

There are many ways a CEO or business leader can tell that their employees are engaged and committed to the company. If the CEO buys a new house, decides to have another child, or makes a big life decision, the employees should in turn be thrilled. Why? Because now their boss has some strong reasons to take strong action. Employees should be glad, excited, and even relieved to learn about new initiatives, because the decision makers believe they have ideas that will help the company progress, and help them progress as well.

Dean Lindsay, author of HOW TO ACHIEVE BIG PHAT GOALS, is a graduate of the University of North Texas and served on the advisory board for UNT’s Department of Marketing and Logistics. He has helped build engaged sales leadership and customer service cultures at a variety of companies, such as New York Life, Gold’s Gym, and many more.